Cancer Patient Says TSA Made Her Lift Up Shirt, Pull Back Bandages Before 'End of Life' Trip

(TheBlaze/AP) -- A leukemia patient making what she called an "end-of-life" trip to Hawaii says she was embarrassed by security agents at the Seattle airport who refused her request for a private room after telling her to lift up her shirt and pull back her bandages.

Though Michelle Dunaj says she thought she arrived prepared-- having called the airline ahead of time to request a wheelchair and ask how to send her medication through security-- the agents seemingly had no idea how to deal with her condition.

"I did everything they asked me to do, so I didn't think it was going to be an issue," she said while describing the event.

First, she said, the machines couldn't get a reading on the saline bags she has to carry, so a TSA agent actually forced one of them open, contaminating the fluid she needs to survive.

Then, they instructed her to lift up her shirt and pull back the bandages to the feeding tubes into her stomach, inserted because of organ failure.  When she requested a private room, she claims they said no, telling her the public location they were using was "fine."

TSA spokeswoman Ann Davis tells KOMO-TV it's against policy to deny a private screening for passengers who request it, and that the agency is investigating the matter.

Dunaj held back tears as she explained: "When somebody wants to take a trip-- especially what I call and 'end of life trip' because you want to see your family and friends, then it becomes...it's even more important than just taking a trip."

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